Biomaterial Database

An integrative view on the physiology of human early placental villi. 2014

Berthold Huppertz, and Debabrata Ghosh, and Jayasree Sengupta

Institute of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Graz, Austria. Electronic address: berthold.huppertz@medunigraz.at.

The placenta is an indispensable organ for intrauterine protection, development and growth of the embryo and fetus. It provides tight contact between mother and conceptus, enabling the exchange of gas, nutrients and waste products. The human placenta is discoidal in shape, and bears a hemo-monochorial interface as well as villous materno-fetal interdigitations. Since Peter Medawar's astonishment to the paradoxical nature of the mother-fetus relationship in 1953, substantial knowledge in the domain of placental physiology has been gathered. In the present essay, an attempt has been made to build an integrated understanding of morphological dynamics, cell biology, and functional aspects of genomic and proteomic expression of human early placental villous trophoblast cells followed by a commentary on the future directions of research in this field.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010829	Physiological Phenomena	The functions and properties of living organisms, including both the physical and chemical factors and processes, supporting life in single- or multi-cell organisms from their origin through the progression of life.	Physiological Processes,Physiological Concepts,Physiological Phenomenon,Physiological Process,Concept, Physiological,Concepts, Physiological,Phenomena, Physiological,Phenomenas, Physiological,Phenomenon, Physiological,Physiological Concept,Process, Physiological,Processes, Physiological
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011248	Pregnancy Complications	Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases.	Adverse Birth Outcomes,Complications, Pregnancy,Adverse Birth Outcome,Birth Outcome, Adverse,Complication, Pregnancy,Outcome, Adverse Birth,Pregnancy Complication
D002824	Chorionic Villi	Threadlike vascular projections of the chorion. Chorionic villi may be free or embedded within the DECIDUA forming the site for exchange of substances between fetal and maternal blood (PLACENTA).	Placental Villi,Labyrinth of the Placenta,Labyrinthine Placenta,Placental Labyrinth Layer,Chorionic Villus,Labyrinth Layer, Placental,Placental Labyrinth Layers,Placental Villus,Villi, Chorionic,Villi, Placental,Villus, Chorionic,Villus, Placental
D004702	Endocrine Glands	Ductless glands that secrete HORMONES directly into the BLOOD CIRCULATION. These hormones influence the METABOLISM and other functions of cells in the body.	Endocrine Gland,Gland, Endocrine
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015398	Signal Transduction	The intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway.	Cell Signaling,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Pathways,Receptor Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Transduction Pathways,Signal Transduction Systems,Pathway, Signal,Pathway, Signal Transduction,Pathways, Signal,Pathways, Signal Transduction,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transductions,Signal Pathway,Signal Transduction Pathway,Signal Transduction System,Signal Transduction, Receptor-Mediated,Signal Transductions,Signal Transductions, Receptor-Mediated,System, Signal Transduction,Systems, Signal Transduction,Transduction, Signal,Transductions, Signal
D017209	Apoptosis	A regulated cell death mechanism characterized by distinctive morphologic changes in the nucleus and cytoplasm, including the endonucleolytic cleavage of genomic DNA, at regularly spaced, internucleosomal sites, i.e., DNA FRAGMENTATION. It is genetically programmed and serves as a balance to mitosis in regulating the size of animal tissues and in mediating pathologic processes associated with tumor growth.	Apoptosis, Extrinsic Pathway,Apoptosis, Intrinsic Pathway,Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis,Classic Apoptosis,Classical Apoptosis,Programmed Cell Death,Programmed Cell Death, Type I,Apoptoses, Extrinsic Pathway,Apoptoses, Intrinsic Pathway,Apoptosis, Caspase-Dependent,Apoptosis, Classic,Apoptosis, Classical,Caspase Dependent Apoptosis,Cell Death, Programmed,Classic Apoptoses,Extrinsic Pathway Apoptoses,Extrinsic Pathway Apoptosis,Intrinsic Pathway Apoptoses,Intrinsic Pathway Apoptosis